From heartbreak to hope in Haiti: Two years in photos

This week marks the two-year anniversary of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. It was the most powerful quake to hit the nation in more than 200 years. The impact was devastating, triggering an international relief and recovery response. Haiti was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere even before the 2010 quake.

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Destruction: When a 7.0-magnitude earthquake rattled Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, just before 5 p.m. on January 12, 2010, the city was reduced to a pile of rubble in a matter of minutes. A third of the population was affected, more than 1 million were left homeless, and an estimated 222,570 people were killed. Before the dust settled, World Vision began the biggest single-country humanitarian response ever undertaken in the organization’s history. Photo by Jon Warren/World Vision.

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Devastation: Growing up in Haiti has never been easy. Even before the earthquake, Haiti had the highest child mortality rate in the Western Hemisphere. The earthquake left 1.5 million children and youth more vulnerable to violence, disease, and exploitation. Many were separated from their families, lost homes, or suffered life-altering injuries. Photo by Jon Warren/World Vision.

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Providing food: In the days and months following the earthquake, World Vision helped to feed more than 2.5 million people through food distributions and support for school feeding programs. This woman is grateful to receive a bag of dry food to sustain her family. Photo by Jon Warren/World Vision.

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Medical care: Danielle Archile lost her home in the devastating earthquake. But her biggest fear in the following days was that she lacked the means to care for her 3-month-old son, Amadou. She and her son were among 54,000 who received attention through World Vision’s static and mobile clinics. Photo by Jon Warren/World Vision.

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Water: In the past two years, World Vision has supplied more than 161 million gallons of water to children and families in need. Over the past six months, the organization has phased out the delivery of water in favor of more sustainable solutions, such as developing water catchments and drilling boreholes. As a result of these and other permanent solutions, 23,850 people have gained access to long-term, sustainable supplies of clean water. Photo by Jon Warren/World Vision.

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Health and hygiene: The earthquake damaged Haiti’s already-limited water and sanitation infrastructure, and many people live in close, unhygienic quarters. To prevent sickness and disease, World Vision built more than 700 latrines and 600 showers and provided tools and maintenance training to keep the latrines clean and safe to use. Photo by Madeline Wilson/World Vision.

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Protecting kids: While physical damage was easy to see, unseen scars go deeper for many children -- and may take even longer to heal. World Vision established 30 Child-Friendly Spaces to provide the young earthquake survivors with a safe place to play, learn, and receive psychosocial support, helping them return to a sense of normalcy. More than 7,700 children benefited from these activities. Photo by Jon Warren/World Vision.

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Smallest survivors: In the aftermath of the earthquake, World Vision established 20 baby-friendly spaces, which operated more like mobile clinics. If a child was malnourished, parents were given supplies of therapeutic food to help return their children to health. These were also a good resource for parents, as they received counseling, training about the best food for their babies, and hygiene tips to protect their children from sickness. Photo by Jon Warren/World Vision.

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Containing and preventing cholera: A cholera outbreak began in October 2010 and claimed thousands of lives while endangering millions more. World Vision responded immediately, deploying medical teams and equipment to affected areas and working to prevent further spread of the disease. World Vision’s treatment centers attended to 7,000 suspected cases of cholera and trained community members in prevention and identification of cholera. More than 250,000 benefited from these efforts. World Vision provided hand-washing stations and soap, and taught children the importance of proper hand-washing to prevent outbreaks. Photo by Jon Warren/World Vision.

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New homes: Marceline Philibert and her daughter, Sabin, 5, pose happily outside their new World Vision-built home. The organization has built 2,700 transitional shelters and provided secure housing for nearly 14,000 people. Providing permanent housing solutions to thousands of people still living in tents has been complex and slow, due in part to land ownership complexities and disputes. Photo by Jon Warren/World Vision.

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Reuniting families: Many children were separated from their families during the earthquake and its immediate aftermath. These children were especially vulnerable to trafficking and other forms of exploitation. For two years, World Vision has worked with local agencies to find interim care for separated children, while seeking to reunite them with families. World Vision has successfully reunited 1,042 children with family members. Photo by Laura Blank/World Vision.

My husband and I were there for a week in August with Go Haiti, Generations of Hope. They still have a long way to go. It's overwhelming. One of the pictures here looked like one of the orphan's that Dr. Fraco is helping.. I miss those children..

It is different to hear about Haiti on the radio or TV and then to see these pictures. It is devistating. I am an old woman, it is too late for me to go and do this important job. Thank Goodness there are many differante ways to help but the World Vision work should present the pictures and the solutions together at the same time at churchs, meetings of all kind, clubs. Maybe a Tupper Ware type party. This is something that every person needs to hear and see then search their hearts so they will know the right thing to do.